Machine for making clay products



No. 608,937. Patented Aug. 9, 189:8.

W. W. WALLACE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CLAY PRODUCTS.

(Application filed Aug. 9, 1897.)

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No. 608,937. Patented Aug. 9, I898. w. w. WALLACE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CLAY PRODUCTS.

' (Application filed Aug. 9, 1897.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I2.

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No. 608,937. Patented Aug. 9, I898.

W. W. WALLACE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CLAY PRODUCTS.

(Application filed Aug. 9, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3..

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WVILLIAM W. WALLACE, OF WILLOUQI- IBY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CANCLAY WORKING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BUOYRUS, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CLAY PRODUCTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,937, dated August9, 1898.

Application filed August 9, 1897. Serial No. 647,534. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWiLLIAM W.WALLACE, of Willoughby, Lakecounty, Ohio,have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forMaking OlayProducts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in brick-machines or clay-productmachines, and more especially to that class of brick-machines that areknown in thetrade as plunger machines, wherein suitably operatedplungers force through a die the clay or material employedin themanufacture of the brick or other clay product.

My invention involves, broadly, a machin comprising a case having aninlet at which the clay is introduced into the said case and having itsdischarging end provided with a die through which the clay is forced bya suitably-operated plunger arranged to recipro cate within and endwiseof the said case, a hopper having an outlet communicating with theinterior of the aforesaid case, and a suitably-operated plunger suitablyguided within the said hopper and arranged to force clay from the hopperinto the aforesaidcase, and

the two plungers being so timed that the upright plunger shall forceenough material into the aforesaid casepreparatoryfto each dis chargingstroke of the plunger within the said case.

My invention comprises also two horizontal die-bearing cases arranged asuitable distance apart and in line, two suitablyconi1ecte'd plungersarranged to force material from the different cases, respectively, feedhoppers communicating with the interior of the said cases, and twoupright plungers movable up and down within the said hoppers andarranged to force material from the hoppers into the different cases,respectively, and the parts being so arranged and timed that one of thehorizontally-reciprocating plungers shall make its discharging strokewhile the other horizontally-reciprocating plunger is making its returnstroke, and each upright plunger shall force material into thehorizontal case below it preparatory to each discharging a sideelevation of a brick-machine embodyin'g'myinvention. A Fig. 11isaright-hand side elevation relative to Fig. I. Fig. III isa sideelevation, mostly in central vertical section.

'Referring'to' the drawings, A designates the stationarysupporting-frameof the machine. a

' Two cylinders or cases B and B, that are suitably supported from thelower portion of said frame, are arranged horizontally a suitabledistance apart and in line endwise. Each of said cases has adischarge-opening?) at its outer end and has said end provided with adie I), that is arranged as required to render it capable of shaping oroperating upon the clay or material forced from said opening. ,Each ofsaid cases at its inner end and'at the top is provided with an apertureor inlet 13 at which the clay ormaterialto be operated upon isintroduced into the case.

Two plungers O and O are arranged-to operate 'withinand ,endwise "of thedifierent cases, respectively. Said plungers are therefore arrangedhorizontally a suitable distance apart and in line endwise. The twoplungers are operatively connected with each otherin any approvedmanner, and O designates the link or connetion between the two plungers,and the plunger connection is provided, preferably, with two rollers 0 0arranged horizontally and transversely of the connection and a suitabledistance apart lengthwise of the said connection. A cam D is operativelymounted or formed upon a shaft D between the said rollers. Shaft D inthe case illus* trated is arranged parallel with the said rollers and isconsequently arranged horizontally and transversely of the machine. Thepe-' ripheral or operating surface of the aforesaid cam has sucharrangementthat it shall push the different rollers outwardlyalternately, and thereby cause the aforesaid plungers to operatealternately-that is, by the operative connection between the twoplungers and the suitably-operated cam interposed between the tworollers of said connection the plungers are simultaneously reciprocated;but of course one plunger makes its discharging stroke while the otherplunger is making its return stroke. Shaft D is operatively providedwith two spur-gears d d, arranged at opposite sides, respectively, ofthe supporting-frame.

Each gear (1 meshes with a pinion e, that is operatively mounted upon ashaft E, that is arranged a suitable distance above and parallel withshaft D and is suitably supported from the stationary framework. Shaft Eat one end is operatively provided with a spurgear E, that meshes with apinion G, operatively mounted upon the driving-shaft G, that is arrangedabove and parallel with shafts E and D and is suitably supported fromthe stationary framework of the machine. The driving-shaft is arranged,preferably, between the central portion and one end of the machine andis provided with a driving-wheel g.

Two upright hoppers H and H are arranged above the different cases 13and B, respectively. Each of said hoppers has its inlet h at its upperend, and the inlets of the two hoppers are in open relation with eachother at h above shaft E. Each hopper has its bottom H declining towardthe hoppers outlet that coincides with the inlet B of thehorizontally-arranged case below said hopper. The declination of saidbottom toward the hoppers outlet facilitates the passage of materialintroduced into the hopper to said outlet. The bottoms of the twohoppers are connected together at their upper ends by a web or yoke if,that is preferably integral with said bottoms and bridges the aforesaidshaft E a suitable distance below the hoppers upper extremities.

Two upright plungers K and K are arranged to reciprocate verticallyabove the inlets of cases B and B, respectively, and over the outlets ofthe diiferent hoppers, respectively, and each of said hoppers has formedthereon vertically-arranged slideways H that are instrumental in guidingthe plunger within said hopper during the vertical reciprocation of saidplunger. Said verticallyreciprocating plungers perform the function ofengaging the clay or material that descends the hopper interiorly andforcing the same into the. horizontally-arranged cases below, and hencesupply said cases with enough material preparatory to the dischargingstroke of the horizontally-reciprocating plungers. Said plungers K Khave their under sides concave, as at K and extending circumferentiallyof the horizontally-arranged cylinders, and hence they are capable offorcing more material into said cylinders than they could if their undersides were straight. Each of the horizontally-arranged cases 13 and B isprovided at its inlet with a shoulder or stop B that limits the downwardmovement of the plunger above. Each plunger K and K, at its upper endand centrally, is provided with an upwardly-extending stem K thatextends through a vertical hole L, formed in a crosshead or slide L,that is arranged horizontally and parallel with the aforesaid shafts andat each end engages a slideway A formed upon a standard A, that is rigidwith the supporting-framework of the machine.

Means for establishing operative connection between each slide L and theupright plunger below is provided, as will hereinafter .appear.

Each gear d in the case illustrated is provided with a cam d, having arecess or groove (1 engaged by the roller O of a walking-beam ortiltinglever O, that is mounted upon a shaft or pin 0 arrangedapproximately centrally between and parallel with shafts D and E. Thetwo levers O O extend between the paths of the two slides L L, and thesaid levers at one side of their axes are operatively connected, bymeans of links 0, with opposite ends, respectively, of one of the saidslides, and are operatively connected at the opposite sides of theiraxes by means of other links 0 with opposite ends, respectively, of theother slide L. The trend of the cam-recesses of cams d is such that thelevers O are tilted in unison and in opposite directions alternately,and consequently the two vertically-reciprocating plungers when they areoperated move in opposite directions, so that one of them makes itsdischarging stroke while the other is making its return or idle stroke.

The parts are so arranged and timed that the horizontally-reciprocatin gplungers O and G shall move simultaneously, but in opposite directions,respectively, as already indicated, and one of saidhorizontallyreciprocating plungers shall consequently make itsdischarging stroke while the other horizontallyreciprocating plunger ismaking its return or idle stroke, and the two vertically-reciprocatingplungers K and K shall force material in advance of the differenthorizontally-reciprocating plungers, respectively, when the respectivehorizontally-reciprocating plunger, after its discharge stroke, hasreturned far enough to accommodate the introduction of material inadvance of it.

It will therefore be observed that by my improved construction themachine has a large capacity and the introduction of enough materialinto the die-bearing cases is insured.

The means preferably employed for establishing operative connection atwill between a slide L and the upright plunger below the said slidecomprises an upright lever P, that is fulcrumed at its lower end at P tothe said slide centrally between the latters ends and longitudinally ofthe slide, and is consequently tiltable in a vertical plane and laterally of the said slide. Lever P at any suitable point between its endsis provided with a laterally and inwardly projecting arm P that in theoperative position of the lever and thereby disengaging its arm 15 fromthe plunger-stem hole, operative connection be tween the plunger and theslide is interrupted, and the slide will reciprocate without theplunger, that will drop and be arrested by the stop B below and closethe outlet of the adjacent hopper. Hence one of thevertically-reciprocating plungers and the coop eratin ghorizontallyreciprocating plunger below can be operated independently ofthe other plungers if for any reason this becomes necessary ordesirable.

Mechanism for positively locking each lever Pin the latters operativeposition is provided and comprises, preferably, a bolt or latch R, thatis arranged uprightly alongside of the lever and is movablelongitudinally and depends from a vertically-tiltable lever B, fulcrumedat R to the said lever P. The latch or bolt in its operative positionengages a notch K formed in an arm or flange K with which thelever-bearing slide is provided. By tilting latch-lever R upwardlyagainst the action of a suitably-applied springR that acts to retain thebolt or latch in the latters operative position, the said latch or boltis disengaged from the aforesaid notch, so as to render the slides leverP free to be rendered inoperative.

-What I claim is- 1. In a brick-macliine,the combination with afeed-hopper having an outlet at its lower end; a plunger movable up anddown over said outlet, and provided, at its upper end, with anupwardly-extending stem that has a lateral hole, and asuitably-actuatedand suitablyguided verticallyreciprocating crosshead orslide above the plunger; of a lever f ulcrumed to said slide andprovided with an arm arranged to extend into the aforesaid hole, andthereby establish operative connection between the plunger andcross-head, and the said lever being tiltable in the directionrequired-to disengage the said arm and hole, and means for retaining thesaid lever in its locking or operative position, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In abrick-machine,the combination with an upright hopper having anoutlet at its lower end; a plunger arranged to move up and down over thesaid outlet, and provided, at its upper end, with an upwardly-extendingstem that has a lateral hole, and a suitablyactuated and suitably-guidedcross-head or slide having a notched arm; of a lever supported from thesaid slide and provided with an arm arranged to extend into theaforesaid hole and thereby establish operative connection between theslide and plunger; a bolt or latch extending along the aforesaid leverand engaging, in its operative position, the notch in the aforesaidslide-arm, and a spring acting to retain the said latch or bolt in itsoperative position, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

3. In a brick-machine, two cases arranged horizontally and in lineendwise, and provided with discharge-openings at their outer ends; diesarranged at the said openings in position to operate upon the clay ormaterial forced through the openings; two plungers arranged to operatewithin and endwise of the different cases, respectively; means forsimultaneously actuating the said plungers in opposite directions,respectively; two hoppers arranged above the difierent cases,respectively, and each of the said hoppers having an outlet connectedwith the chamber of the case below; two plungers movable up and downover the inlets of the difierent cases, respectively; suitably'guidedvertically-reciprocatingcrossheads or slides; means for establishingoperative connection between each of the vertia cally-reciprocatingplungers and one of the said slides; two corresponding walking-beams ortilting levers arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of the machine;means for op erating the said levers in unison, and links establishingoperative connection between the said levers and the aforesaid slides,all arranged and operating substantially as shown, for the purposespecified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 10th day of July, 1897.

WILLIAM WV. WVALLAOE.

Witnesses:

C. H. Donna, ELLA. E. TILDEN'.

